Tourexpi
Türkiye recorded a solid start to the tourism year,
with revenue increasing to nearly 9.9 billion US dollars in the first quarter
of 2026. According to data released by Turkish Statistical Institute, the
sector benefited from stable visitor flows and rising spending in key
categories such as accommodation and hospitality.
Revenue driven by visitor spending
Tourism income reached 9.89 billion dollars between
January and March, with the vast majority – 9.69 billion dollars – generated by
visitors, while transit passengers contributed 201.9 million dollars.
Individual travel spending accounted for the largest
share at 8.47 billion dollars, compared with 1.22 billion dollars from package
tours. Turkish citizens living abroad played a significant role, contributing
25.6 percent of total visitor-related tourism income.
Moderate growth in visitor numbers
The number of departing visitors rose by 1.5 percent
year-on-year to 9.26 million. Of these, 2.38 million were Turkish citizens
residing abroad, representing 25.7 percent of total visitors.
Average nightly spending stood at 102 dollars per
visitor, while Turkish citizens living abroad spent an average of 72 dollars
per night.
Strong increases in key spending categories
Food and beverage expenditure made up the largest
share of tourism income at 27 percent, followed by international transportation
at 15.8 percent and accommodation at 13 percent.
Compared with the same period last year, accommodation
spending rose sharply by 21.2 percent, while health-related expenditure
increased by 18.4 percent and food and beverage spending grew by 13.7 percent.
These figures point to a continued shift toward higher-value tourism services.
Travel motivations and outbound trends
Leisure travel remained the primary reason for
visiting Türkiye, accounting for 55.3 percent of arrivals. Visiting friends and
relatives followed at 26.8 percent, while shopping represented 8.2 percent.
At the same time, outbound travel by Turkish citizens
increased significantly. The number of residents travelling abroad rose by 13.1
percent to 2.94 million in the first quarter, with an average expenditure of
758 dollars per person.
Overall, the figures indicate stable demand and a
gradual strengthening of tourism revenues, supported by both international
visitors and the Turkish diaspora.
Image Credit: © AA
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